Bol Bol

[clyde21]

With his length and ability to move at his height, he can become about as good as Gobert if he puts the work in. Strength his most glaring weakness, but with time he can get strong enough to hold his own. His ability to contest and deter shots can cover up a lot of issues if he puts in the effort on every play.

Gobert? definitely wouldn't go that far. doesn't have Gobert's frame or strength.

might be as good of a shot blocker but definitely won't be as good of a post defender.

I agree that Bol won't put on that much weight to match Gobert, but I think he can get strong enough that he won't get bullied in the post. His length will complicate shots no matter what, and so long as he doesn't get targeted, he can be effective everywhere else he needs to be as a center. Bully ball isn't extinct yet, but I don't think it's a big enough issue to write Bol off like I've seen others do.

All that being said, a comparison to Gobert is probably hyperbolic. That's just who he resembles as far as his length and movement is concerned.

i dont see him adding much strength tbh with his narrow frame, it's just not gonna happen to make a huge difference for him.

where he'll make his most impact though as a defender is as a shot alterer and help defender because of his length and athleticism...something like what we saw from Porzingis pre injury I think.

[Roddy B for 3]

This guy is outside my top 25.

How can he play even 20mpg with those tiny legs? I feel he has no muscle at all and will get injured constantly until he bulks up.

I know that naturally growing as much as he needs (no steroids) will take years. + It's pretty obvious bulking up is not something he has experience with and alot of young people don't like the physical pain that is needed to bully up.

Every game he's going to have to box out over eger energy guys like Faried/Capella/Jarret Allen and huge slow guys like Marc Gasol/Jonas Valancunias/DeMarcus Cousins. If one of these guys comits an 'over the back' foul it might crush Bol Bol like a fat man on a cheap foldout chair.

[oligo]

I so much love that guy, I would love to see him playing every single minute in the NBA.

Unfortunately, I'm not such optimist. His legs are skinny, his entire body is skinny too and as soon as he hits one major injury, I think he'll be sitting on the bench and rehabbing for most of his career.

If I try to compare him to Boban Marjanovic, Bol is 235lbs and Boban is 285lbs. So the difference is 50lbs.

In the best case scenario, in his first season, I see him as a 3rd stringer out of the rotation OR playing in a G-league. Until he adds 30-40 lbs of muscles, he'll probably not be of any importance on any team. I see him as a risky project (just like MPJ last season) and he'll probably go somewhere in 20-30 range where teams could afford to risk.

If I take a look at Porzingis, he's struggling to add any muscles for seasons, so I'm really not an optimist for Bol.

[HomoSapien]

I so much love that guy, I would love to see him playing every single minute in the NBA.

Unfortunately, I'm not such optimist. His legs are skinny, his entire body is skinny too and as soon as he hits one major injury, I think he'll be sitting on the bench and rehabbing for most of his career.

If I try to compare him to Boban Marjanovic, Bol is 235lbs and Boban is 285lbs. So the difference is 50lbs.

In the best case scenario, in his first season, I see him as a 3rd stringer out of the rotation OR playing in a G-league. Until he adds 30-40 lbs of muscles, he'll probably not be of any importance on any team. I see him as a risky project (just like MPJ last season) and he'll probably go somewhere in 20-30 range where teams could afford to risk.

If I take a look at Porzingis, he's struggling to add any muscles for seasons, so I'm really not an optimist for Bol.

I understand the concern, but perhaps the best "body type" comparison is his father Manute. He was equally as skinny, but even bigger. He was able to get through about 8 seasons without a major injury.

[Stillwater]

Cons: beanpole with lanky frame & injury history,not a great athlete,not fast/not strong.
Positives: immense length,good jumper/set shot, nba pedigree, teachable/decent bb iq.
5-10 range seems a little high due to the injury,11-15 more likely,but could easily fall to 20's
with bad medicals.

[Upperclass]

Second best player from the 19 draft

[clyde21]

he's essentially some version of Porzingis in the NBA IMO and an elite prospect, but as we're seeing with Porzingis, injury concerns are a real issue here so how high he goes depends on the risk averseness of GMs.

[HeadtopChunes]

I wouldn't take him in the lottery, I don't like his intangibles, and I also don't think his body is gonna hold up over time and that foot injury is very concerning for me.

Also the clips of him playing defense would make me pass on him even if he didnt have a big foot injury.

Unless you are a generational offensive talent at center (like KAT), you need to be a positive defender to be a playoff starter.

[ThunderBolt]

Any chance he drops to around 18 where the thunder are projected to pick? The thunder are desperate enough that I would take a high risk, high reward prospect.

[clyde21]

I wouldn't take him in the lottery, I don't like his intangibles, and I also don't think his body is gonna hold up over time and that foot injury is very concerning for me.

Also the clips of him playing defense would make me pass on him even if he didnt have a big foot injury.

Unless you are a generational offensive talent at center (like KAT), you need to be a positive defender to be a playoff starter.

what don't you like about his intangibles?

[clyde21]

Any chance he drops to around 18 where the thunder are projected to pick? The thunder are desperate enough that I would take a high risk, high reward prospect.

possible he drops to 18 and I'd consider that a major coup for the Thunder.

[HeadtopChunes]

I wouldn't take him in the lottery, I don't like his intangibles, and I also don't think his body is gonna hold up over time and that foot injury is very concerning for me.

Also the clips of him playing defense would make me pass on him even if he didnt have a big foot injury.

Unless you are a generational offensive talent at center (like KAT), you need to be a positive defender to be a playoff starter.

what don't you like about his intangibles?

The stuff that's out there about him not being committed to the game and his work ethic. For someone like him if he doesn't have the work ethic he will bust. Of course, I don't know him personally so idk how much I can weigh that and how legitimate it is.

But it does concern me, especially since he looks like Jahlil Okafor defensively sometimes.

Watch on YouTube

[clyde21]

Bol has his defensive issues in the post and on the perimeter for sure but I don't really see motor or work ethic issues...but if u have something about that that I can read I would like to take a look at it..

also his block rate is up there with some of the elite rim protectors the last few years, Okafor is/was FAR from a rim protector.

[HeadtopChunes]

Bol has his defensive issues in the post and on the perimeter for sure but I don't really see motor or work ethic issues...but if u have something about that that I can read I would like to take a look at it..

also his block rate is up there with some of the elite rim protectors the last few years, Okafor is/was FAR from a rim protector.

just stuff thats been circling him all year although nobody really gets specific

“He likes the lifestyle of basketball, but he is not a hooper. If someone came to me and hired me in their front office tomorrow and had him on our board, I would say ‘you can fire me for saying this, but take him off of our board.’”
source https://theathletic.com/823359/2019/02/26/the-other-potential-freshman-lottery-picks/

“He’s a guy who everyone knows the red flags with him, but you can’t deny the skill, shooting, and ability to block shots. What the NBA projects doesn’t always show in college. People will crush his motor, his character, his love of the game, but he’s a shooting big who can block shots. It’s clear as day that’s what the NBA is looking for. He seemed to be performing better up there.

“But a lot of his issues come back to ‘do I really want to be about this game?’ That’s what I don’t know.”

source: https://theathletic.com/823359/2019/02/26/the-other-potential-freshman-lottery-picks/

"The biggest adjustment that Bol's going to have, which has always been the criticism, is how hard is he going to work to develop into the best player he can possibly be," Fraschilla said. "There's always been the question about does he play hard every game? How hard will he work to improve? You give him the benefit of the doubt because of his age but that's the big difference between Porzingis [and Bol] will be the preparation for the NBA."

source:https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamzagoria/2018/11/26/bol-bol-is-an-intriguing-prospect-but-nba-personnel-have-few-comparisons-for-him/#2da34b80413a

You could probably find more like that if you tried but I think this gets my point across.

As for rim protection, sure he's really big and really long he's going to collect blocks, but that doesn't mean much in terms defense especially if he's this bad in space and at this point where he is weak enough to be moved out of the way. Oregon had switch to zone because of how bad they were getting killed with Bol Bol.

I have a hard time projecting him as any sort of a positive defender right now. I don't know how much bulk he could add either.

I still have him as a top 20 player in this draft just because of the ridiculous offensive potential, I just wouldn't bet on it actualizing.

[clyde21]

can't read those athletic ones to get full context but seems like the same old stuff we hear about most bigs every year. if u want to factor that in go ahead but I don't any of this holds that much water...especially given how good Bol was almost immediately off the gate at Oregon.

[Ruzious]

If health wasn't a risk for him - I'd rate him 3rd best in this draft. It comes down to how risk averse you are when you're picking after 5 (along with what your team doc says).

[Coeur]

If health wasn't a risk for him - I'd rate him 3rd best in this draft. It comes down to how risk averse you are when you're picking after 5 (along with what your team doc says).

Does that make it more likely for teams with multiple picks to want him? Hawks or Celtics both seem like fits


Imagine how fun the conversation would be if the Bulls draft him.

[clyde21]

If health wasn't a risk for him - I'd rate him 3rd best in this draft. It comes down to how risk averse you are when you're picking after 5 (along with what your team doc says).

he's a Porzingis level talent. easily top 5. just a matter of what u said...how risk averse a GM is.

if Atlanta misses out on Zion but retain the Dallas pick, they'll have two picks in the top 10 presumably and I'd definitely use one of them to nab Bol if I were making the decision.

[Coeur]

If health wasn't a risk for him - I'd rate him 3rd best in this draft. It comes down to how risk averse you are when you're picking after 5 (along with what your team doc says).

he's a Porzingis level talent. easily top 5. just a matter of what u said...how risk averse a GM is.

if Atlanta misses out on Zion but retain the Dallas pick, they'll have two picks in the top 10 presumably and I'd definitely use one of them to nab Bol if I were making the decision.

He’s not Porzingis level. KP tier is closer to Zion tier than bolbol tier

[clyde21]

If health wasn't a risk for him - I'd rate him 3rd best in this draft. It comes down to how risk averse you are when you're picking after 5 (along with what your team doc says).

he's a Porzingis level talent. easily top 5. just a matter of what u said...how risk averse a GM is.

if Atlanta misses out on Zion but retain the Dallas pick, they'll have two picks in the top 10 presumably and I'd definitely use one of them to nab Bol if I were making the decision.

He’s not Porzingis level. KP tier is closer to Zion tier than bolbol tier

what made KP a better prospect?